We asked; you answered… medical practice, technology and policy polls

Each week SERMO conducts many polls – some on the social network itself, and others as quick surveys via email. From medical practice issues to health care policy, we’ve delved into some interesting topics recently with our polls and wanted to share the results. Here are 5 recent polls.

We asked doctors:

Both public and private payers look for ways to reduce health care spending and often look to prescription drugs and therapies as a place to start. Do you feel utilization management protocols including step therapy (or “fail first requirements”) inhibit your ability to appropriately treat your patients and put cost over positive health outcomes?

Yes: 78%

No: 22%

N=1,001

Margin of error: +/- 3%

The Texas House Bill 2 (HB2) places specific requirements on abortion clinics. It requires doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion clinic. The bill also requires clinic standards that are similar to those of surgical centers–including specifics on room and doorway sizes, staffing, and anesthesia. What is your opinion on HB2?

It protects women’s health, as it brings health and safety standards to abortion clinics more in line with those of other medical facilities: 59%

It is demanding, expensive and it limits abortion. It is not medically necessary. It interferes with women’s health: 41%

N= 1,032

Margin of error: +/- 3%

Should it be legal for a pharmacist to prescribe birth control?

No: 73%

Yes: 27%

N= 2,879

Margin of error: +/- 2%

Should there be a universal medical license so doctors can treat patients across state lines?

The first 2 questions were done as email surveys that queried a random selection of doctors from the US in the SERMO network of more than 550,000. The 3 remaining questions were asked in SERMOsays Sentiment polls, conducted on the SERMO social network. For more information on the methodologies of SERMO polls, please go to http://www.sermo.com/polls.